DC’s Black population accounts for most of the city’s opioid epidemic deaths

HEALTH | Fentanyl and carfentanyl are two opioids – and they are responsible for most of the overdose deaths of Blacks in DC. These deaths have increased by 245% from 2014 to 2017 among Black men between the ages of 40 and 69. One doctor is trying to treat this ‘invisible’ population by raising awareness and partnering with local hospitals. (NPR, 3/8)

This epidemic started in white suburban and rural areas where people are overdosing mostly with prescription medicine like Percocet and OxyContin. Dr. Chapman says that African-American patients have historically been less likely to be prescribed pain narcotics.

“The theory is that African-Americans tolerate pain better. That’s a myth,” Dr. Chapman says. But it probably saved blacks from falling victim to the initial opioid crisis, he says.

RACIAL EQUITY
– Yanique Redwood, chair of WRAG’s Board of Directors and president and CEO of Consumer Health Foundation, discusses her organization’s work to operationalize racial equity and the journeys of other grantmakers. (CHF Blog, 3/7)